Krishoker Thikana — Blog https://krishokerthikana.com/en/blog/ A free, bilingual help directory for Bangladesh's farmers, livestock keepers, fish farmers and beekeepers: verified helplines, government services, seed sources and international support in one place. en-GB Thu, 12 Nov 2026 06:00:00 GMT https://krishokerthikana.com/icon-512.pngKrishoker Thikanahttps://krishokerthikana.com/en/blog/ Wheat sowing: sow by 30 November and choose a blast-resistant variety https://krishokerthikana.com/en/blog/wheat-sowing-blast-prevention/ https://krishokerthikana.com/en/blog/wheat-sowing-blast-prevention/ Thu, 12 Nov 2026 06:00:00 GMT Krishoker Thikana Research & varieties Seed sourcing — Bangladesh Wheat sown late loses yield every day and faces more wheat blast. Researchers say 15–30 November is the window. The varieties to ask for, and how to keep blast away. Wheat blast arrived in Bangladesh in 2016 and damaged more than 15,000 hectares of wheat in its first year. It can cut yields by a quarter or more and sometimes wipes out whole fields, which is one reason many farmers have switched to maize or potato. The good news: two simple choices, timing and variety, lower the risk a great deal.

Sow between 15 and 30 November

A 23-year study by CIMMYT and the Bangladesh Wheat and Maize Research Institute (BWMRI) found that yields fall by about 1.3% for every day sowing is delayed after 30 November, and that sowing around 25 November gave the best results. Late wheat heads out in the warm, humid weather of late February and March, which is exactly when blast spreads.

  • If your land is ready, sow in the second half of November.
  • If Aman harvest is late, use a quick-maturing variety and do not delay more than you must.
  • Southern and central districts, where it is warmer and more humid, face the highest blast losses.

Choose a resistant or tolerant variety

  • BARI Gom 33: released in 2017, blast-resistant and heat-tolerant. BWMRI scientists say it has become popular for exactly these reasons.
  • Newer varieties from BWMRI, released since 2020, which researchers describe as blast-tolerant. Ask your Upazila Agriculture Office which ones are available in your area.
  • Even resistant varieties can lose yield when disease pressure is very high, so combine a good variety with early sowing.

Buy certified seed from BADC, a licensed dealer or the Upazila Agriculture Office. Do not keep seed from a field that had blast.

Keep blast away

  • Treat seed with a recommended seed-treating fungicide before sowing; ask your Sub-Assistant Agriculture Officer which product and dose.
  • Watch the crop at heading. Bleached, white ears with a dark spot on the stalk below them are a warning sign.
  • If blast is reported in your area, a preventive fungicide spray at heading may be advised. Call 16123 or your agriculture office first, and follow the dose on the label.
  • Avoid too much nitrogen fertiliser and keep the field free of weeds.

Where to get help

The Krishi Call Centre (16123) and your Upazila Agriculture Office give free advice. The Research & varieties and Seed sourcing sections of this site link to BWMRI, BADC and certified seed sellers.

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]]> Fish ponds in winter: how to prevent ulcer disease and slow growth https://krishokerthikana.com/en/blog/winter-fish-pond-care/ https://krishokerthikana.com/en/blog/winter-fish-pond-care/ Thu, 12 Nov 2026 05:59:00 GMT Krishoker Thikana Fish Red sores on fish are the most common pond problem in Bangladesh's winter. Getting the pond ready before the cold arrives is far easier than treating sick fish. A simple winter checklist. From December to February, many pond farmers find fish with red sores and wounds on the body. This ulcer disease, known to scientists as EUS (epizootic ulcerative syndrome), is the disease Bangladeshi pond farmers report most, and it appears mainly in the cold season. In cold water fish also eat less and grow slowly, so winter care matters for the whole year's profit.

Which fish are most at risk

Snakehead (shol, taki), catfish, barbs (puti) and Indian major carps such as mrigal and rui are most often affected. Chinese carps such as silver carp and grass carp are usually less affected, but they can also get sores.

Get the pond ready before the cold

  • Apply lime in early winter, before the cold sets in. The Department of Fisheries recommends lime (or salt) before the cold season; ask your Upazila Fisheries Officer for the right amount for your pond size.
  • Do not overstock. Studies of Bangladeshi ponds found stocking two to three times the recommended number of fish was common; crowded fish get sick more easily.
  • Keep the water deep enough so it does not get too cold, and clear floating weeds so sunlight reaches the water.
  • Sell or harvest some fish before deep winter if the pond is crowded.

Feeding in winter

  • Fish eat less in cold water. Reduce feed and give it at the warmest time of day, around midday.
  • Uneaten feed rots and spoils the water, so watch how much is left.
  • Do not add a lot of fresh cow dung or fertiliser in cold weather.

If you see sores

  1. Catch a few fish with a cast net and look closely. Note which species are affected and how many.
  2. Remove dead and badly affected fish and bury them; do not throw them into a canal or another pond.
  3. Call your Upazila Fisheries Officer. In a farmer trial in Kishoreganj and Rajshahi, salt and lime treatments helped most ponds recover, but the right dose depends on your pond, so ask before treating.
  4. Do not use antibiotics or chemicals on guesswork, and do not move fish or nets from a sick pond to a healthy one.

The Fish page of this site lists the Department of Fisheries, research institutes and other help for fish farmers.

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]]> Cold waves and livestock: keeping cows, calves and goats healthy this winter https://krishokerthikana.com/en/blog/winter-care-cattle-goats/ https://krishokerthikana.com/en/blog/winter-care-cattle-goats/ Thu, 12 Nov 2026 05:58:00 GMT Krishoker Thikana Livestock Dairy Cold and fog bring coughs, fever and falling milk yields, and young calves and kids are hit hardest. Simple shed, feed and water steps, and the warning signs that need a vet. When cold waves sweep the north and fog lasts for days, farmers cannot take animals out to graze, fodder runs short, and animals fall sick. One dairy farmer in Lalmonirhat told The Daily Star his cows' milk had dropped from about 9 litres to 5–6 litres during a cold spell. Calves, kids, and old or weak animals suffer most.

Protect the shed

  • Cover the open sides of the shed with polythene, jute sacking or black cloth at night, as livestock officers and the agro-weather service advise.
  • Leave some gap at the top for fresh air. A closed, damp shed full of ammonia smell causes lung disease.
  • Keep the floor dry. Put down dry straw or husk as bedding and change it when wet.
  • A bulb can keep a calf or poultry shed warmer. Never light a fire or a stove inside the shed: smoke harms the lungs and a shed fire can kill animals.

Keep animals warm

  • Put a jute sack or old blanket on calves, goats and weak animals at night, tied so it cannot slip around the neck.
  • Let animals stand in the sun in the middle of the day.
  • Do not wash animals on cold days. If you must, use lukewarm water and dry them quickly.

Feed and water

  • Animals burn more energy in the cold. Give extra straw, green fodder if you have it, and some concentrate feed.
  • Give clean drinking water that is not ice-cold; lukewarm water helps animals drink enough.
  • Make sure newborn calves and kids get the mother's first milk (colostrum) within the first hours.

Warning signs: call a vet

  • Fast or difficult breathing, coughing, runny nose or fever. These can be signs of pneumonia, which can kill young animals quickly.
  • Diarrhoea in calves or kids, or an animal that stops eating.
  • Blisters in the mouth or on the feet, drooling or limping: possible foot-and-mouth disease (khura rog). Keep the animal apart and report it.

Call your Upazila Livestock Office or a registered vet for treatment and medicine doses; do not give antibiotics on guesswork. Ask the office about foot-and-mouth and other vaccines. The Livestock and Dairy pages of this site list the offices and helplines.

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]]> Aman paddy 2026–27: government buys at Tk 35 a kg from 24 November. How to sell https://krishokerthikana.com/en/blog/aman-paddy-sell-to-government/ https://krishokerthikana.com/en/blog/aman-paddy-sell-to-government/ Thu, 12 Nov 2026 05:57:00 GMT Krishoker Thikana Government services Credit & finance The government will buy 3 lakh tonnes of Aman paddy straight from farmers at Tk 35 a kg, from 24 November 2026 to 28 February 2027. Here is how to get your name on the list, prepare your paddy and get paid. Every Aman season the government buys paddy directly from farmers at a fixed price, through upazila food offices and government food godowns (LSDs). The fixed price is usually higher than what a local trader offers at harvest time, when prices are lowest.

This season's prices (2026–27)

  • Paddy from farmers: Tk 35 per kg (Tk 1,400 per maund), up from Tk 34 last season.
  • Paddy buying: 24 November 2026 to 28 February 2027.
  • Rice from millers: boiled rice Tk 49 and atap rice Tk 48 per kg, from 1 December 2026 to 28 February 2027.
  • Targets: 3 lakh tonnes of paddy and 5.5 lakh tonnes of rice (8.5 lakh tonnes in all). Food Minister Afroza Khanam Rita announced the decision on 8 November.

The paddy target is six times last season's 50,000 tonnes, so far more farmers can sell to the government this year. Register early: places still fill up in many upazilas.

Why many farmers miss out

In 2025–26 the paddy target was cut to only 50,000 tonnes, because in the previous year farmers sold very little to the government. Officials said much of the Aman crop is kept for home use. Economists added that procurement centres are often far from villages, so small farmers sell to traders instead. This season the target is much larger, but it still pays to register early.

How to sell, step by step

  1. Get your Krishi card (farmer card) up to date at the Upazila Agriculture Office. The farmer list used for buying is based on it.
  2. Register for the sale. In many upazilas this is done through the government's Krishoker App (Krishoker Apps) using your name and National ID number; elsewhere the Upazila Food Office takes names directly. Ask which applies in your upazila.
  3. If more farmers apply than the target, names are chosen by lottery. Selected farmers are told by SMS or by the food office, with the date and godown.
  4. Dry the paddy well and clean it. The godown checks moisture and quality; wet or mixed paddy can be refused. Ask the office for the limit in advance.
  5. Take your NID and Krishi card to the godown on your date. Payment is made to your bank account (a Tk 10 farmer account works) or by cheque; keep the receipt.

If something goes wrong

  • If someone asks for money to put your name on the list, or a trader sells in farmers' names, report it to the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) or the District Food Controller.
  • If your paddy is refused, ask for the reason in writing and whether you can dry it and come back.
  • For farming questions, call the Krishi Call Centre at 16123.

The Government services section of this site lists the Department of Agricultural Extension, market price services and other official offices.

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]]> Pesticide poisoning: what to do in the first 30 minutes https://krishokerthikana.com/en/blog/pesticide-poisoning-first-aid/ https://krishokerthikana.com/en/blog/pesticide-poisoning-first-aid/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 GMT Krishoker Thikana Wellbeing Spraying accidents happen on every farm. Quick, correct first aid and a fast trip to hospital save lives. What to do, what never to do, and how to keep poison out of reach. Pesticides and weedkillers protect crops, but they are poisons. A splash in the eyes, spray breathed in on a windy day, liquid soaked into clothes, or a mouthful swallowed by mistake can make a person seriously ill within minutes. What the family does in the first half hour matters a great deal.

Signs to watch for

  • Headache, dizziness, sweating or blurred vision during or after spraying.
  • Nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps or diarrhoea.
  • Watering eyes, a runny nose, a lot of saliva, or tight breathing.
  • Muscle twitching, weakness, fits or fainting. These are serious signs.

First, keep yourself safe

Move the person away from the spray, the field or the spilled bottle. Do not get the poison on yourself: wear gloves or use a cloth or polythene over your hands. If the person is not breathing or has collapsed, call 999 at once.

What to do, by type of exposure

  • On the skin: take off the wet clothes and wash the skin and hair with plenty of clean water and soap.
  • In the eyes: rinse gently with clean running water for at least 15 minutes, holding the eyelids open.
  • Breathed in: move the person into fresh air, loosen tight clothing and keep them calm and still.
  • Swallowed: rinse the mouth with water. Do not make the person vomit unless a doctor tells you to, and never give anything by mouth to someone who is drowsy, fitting or unconscious.

Get to hospital, and take the bottle

Go to the Upazila Health Complex or the nearest hospital straight away, even if the person seems to improve. Take the pesticide bottle or packet with you, or a clear photo of the label: the doctor needs the name of the chemical to choose the right treatment. On the way, Shastho Batayon (16263) can give a doctor's advice 24 hours a day.

What not to do

  • Do not give milk, oil, salt water, soap water or home remedies to cause vomiting.
  • Do not wait to see whether the person gets better on their own.
  • Do not take the person to a traditional healer instead of a hospital.

Paraquat: why there is no time to lose

Paraquat is a weedkiller sold widely in Bangladesh. A study of 10 hospitals found that deaths from paraquat poisoning rose from one in 2013 to 212 in 2024, and doctors say there is no specific antidote. Even a small amount swallowed needs hospital care immediately.

Prevention is the best treatment

  • Keep all farm chemicals in a locked box, away from the house, children and food.
  • Never pour pesticide into water, juice or cold-drink bottles, and never reuse empty pesticide bottles.
  • When spraying, wear a mask, gloves, long sleeves and shoes; do not eat, drink or smoke until you have washed.
  • Spray with the wind behind you, never into it, and keep children and animals away from the field.
  • If someone in your family is going through a very hard time, keep chemicals locked away and the key with a trusted person.

The Wellbeing page of this site lists 999, 16263 and other free help for farm families.

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]]> Lightning kills farmers every year: simple rules that save lives https://krishokerthikana.com/en/blog/lightning-safety-farmers/ https://krishokerthikana.com/en/blog/lightning-safety-farmers/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 05:59:00 GMT Krishoker Thikana Wellbeing Government services Most people killed by lightning in Bangladesh are farmers working in open fields. The danger peaks from mid-April to early June. Learn the rules now, before the season starts. Bangladesh declared lightning a natural disaster in 2016. Department of Disaster Management figures show 243 people were killed by lightning in 2025, and the Disaster Forum counted at least 218 deaths from January to mid-June 2026. Most of them were farmers working in open fields or walking between home and field.

Deaths peak from mid-April to early June, during the Boro harvest, and the northeast (haor areas such as Sunamganj) is hit hardest. Now, before the season, is the time for every farm family to learn the rules.

Before the storm

  • Watch the sky. Dark, towering clouds in the afternoon mean danger, even if rain has not started.
  • Follow the weather forecast from the Bangladesh Meteorological Department, which posts warnings two to four hours ahead.
  • Know where the nearest solid building is from each of your fields, and how long it takes to get there.

When you hear thunder

  1. Stop work at once and go to a solid (pucca) building. If you can hear thunder, you are close enough to be struck.
  2. Never shelter under a tree, even a big one. Trees attract lightning.
  3. Get out of water: ponds, rivers, flooded paddy fields and boats are dangerous.
  4. Stay away from metal: tin sheds, power-tiller handles, iron poles and wire fences.
  5. Wear footwear while working in the field, as farmers' groups advise.

If you are caught in the open

Do not lie flat on the ground. Crouch low on the balls of your feet with your feet together, head tucked down and hands over your ears. If you are in a group, spread out a little so one strike does not hurt everyone.

After the storm

Wait about 30 minutes after the last thunder before going back to the field. A person struck by lightning does not carry an electric charge and is safe to touch: start first aid if you know it, and call 999 or take them to hospital immediately.

Help for affected families

Families who lose a member to lightning can ask the Upazila Nirbahi Officer or the Upazila Project Implementation Officer (Department of Disaster Management) about government support. The Wellbeing page of this site lists these offices and emergency numbers.

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]]> Old-age, widow and disability allowances: how farm families can apply https://krishokerthikana.com/en/blog/government-allowances-farm-families/ https://krishokerthikana.com/en/blog/government-allowances-farm-families/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 05:58:00 GMT Krishoker Thikana Wellbeing Government services Many older farmers, widows and people with disabilities in rural Bangladesh qualify for a monthly government allowance but never apply. Who qualifies, what you need and when to apply. The Department of Social Services pays monthly allowances to older people, widows and deserted women, and people with disabilities who have little income. Many eligible people in farming villages miss out simply because nobody told them how to apply.

Who can get the old-age allowance

  • Men aged 65 or over, and women aged 62 or over, proved by National ID, birth registration or SSC certificate.
  • A permanent resident of the area, with low income.
  • Priority goes to the oldest, to people who are sick or cannot work, to landless people (half an acre or less, not counting the homestead), and to widows, the childless and those living apart from family.
  • People who already get a government pension or another regular allowance are not eligible.

Other allowances

  • Widow and deserted-women allowance: for destitute widows and women abandoned by their husbands.
  • Disability allowance: for people with physical or mental disabilities who lack support. A Subarna Nagorik (disability ID) card from the Department of Social Services is required.

How to apply

  1. Applications open online for a set period. In 2026 the window was 1 to 31 August, on the Department of Social Services website (dss.bhata.gov.bd).
  2. Apply using your permanent address.
  3. You need your National ID and an active mobile number registered to that NID, or your own bank or mobile banking account details.
  4. If you have no smartphone, ask a Union Digital Centre, the Union Parishad, or the Upazila Social Services Office to help you apply.
  5. If you are already on the waiting list, you do not need to apply again.

Be careful

  • Applying is free. Nobody may charge you money to put your name on the list.
  • Never share the PIN or OTP of your mobile banking account with anyone, even someone who says they are from the government.
  • If someone asks for money or your payment stops, tell the Upazila Social Services Officer or call 333.

Allowance amounts and deadlines can change each year, so check with your Upazila Social Services Office. The Wellbeing page of this site links to the application portal.

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]]> When a bad harvest weighs on your mind: you do not have to carry it alone https://krishokerthikana.com/en/blog/stress-after-bad-harvest/ https://krishokerthikana.com/en/blog/stress-after-bad-harvest/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 05:57:00 GMT Krishoker Thikana Wellbeing Credit & finance Crop loss, debt and falling prices can bring sleepless nights and deep worry. That is a normal reaction to a hard situation, and help is free. Signs to notice, things that help, and who to call. A flood that takes the Aman crop, a price that falls below the cost of growing, a loan that cannot be repaid: farming carries heavy worries, and they often arrive together. Many farmers keep it all inside because they feel they must be strong for their family. Feeling crushed by a situation like this is not weakness. It is a human reaction, and it can get better.

Signs that stress is becoming too much

  • Not sleeping, or sleeping far more than usual.
  • Losing interest in food, work, family or prayer.
  • Feeling hopeless, worthless or trapped, or that the family would be better off without you.
  • Getting angry quickly, or pulling away from people.
  • Headaches, chest tightness or stomach trouble with no clear cause.

Things that help

  • Talk to someone you trust: your wife or husband, a brother, a friend, an imam or a neighbour. Saying it out loud makes the weight lighter.
  • Take one problem at a time. Write down what you owe and to whom, and what is due first.
  • Talk to your lender early. NGOs and banks can sometimes reschedule a loan after a disaster; ask before the payment is missed.
  • Ask the Upazila Agriculture Office about help after crop loss, such as seed and fertiliser support.
  • Keep some routine: eat, rest, go outside, and spend a little time with your children.

Free people to talk to

  • Shastho Batayon 16263: doctors give mental-health counselling by phone, 24 hours a day.
  • Kaan Pete Roi (emotional support, in Bangla): 01985275286, 01852035634 or 01517969150. Trained volunteers listen without judging and keep what you say private.
  • Your Upazila Health Complex: ask to see a doctor about sleep, worry or low mood.

If you are worried about someone

If a family member or neighbour talks about wanting to die or seems to be giving up, take it seriously. Stay with them, listen without arguing, keep pesticides and other dangerous things locked away, and help them call 16263 or Kaan Pete Roi. If they are in immediate danger, call 999 or take them to hospital.

Hard seasons pass. Asking for help is one of the bravest things a farmer can do for their family. The Wellbeing page of this site lists all these numbers in one place.

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]]> Boro seedbeds in winter: how to protect seedlings from cold https://krishokerthikana.com/en/blog/boro-seedbed-cold-protection/ https://krishokerthikana.com/en/blog/boro-seedbed-cold-protection/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 05:56:00 GMT Krishoker Thikana Seed sourcing — Bangladesh Government services Boro seedbeds go in during November and December, just as the cold arrives. Cold fog can yellow and kill young seedlings. Simple steps that save the bed. Most Boro seedbeds are sown from mid November to December. That is also when cold waves and dense fog begin, especially in the north. Young seedlings that get too cold turn yellow, then reddish-brown, and can die, and the farmer has to buy seed and sow again, losing weeks.

An officer of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) warned during an earlier cold wave that crops may be harmed if the temperature falls to 2–3°C and stays there for 24 hours. Seedbeds are the most at risk.

Before sowing

  • Use good, certified seed of a variety suited to your area. Ask the Upazila Agriculture Office which Boro varieties tolerate cold.
  • Choose a sunny, open spot for the bed, away from tall trees and shade.
  • Make the bed slightly raised and well levelled, with drains on the sides, so water can be controlled.

When the cold comes

  1. Cover the bed with clear polythene in the evening and at night, on a frame of bamboo sticks so it does not touch the seedlings.
  2. Open the cover in the morning once the sun is out, so the seedlings get light and air. Leaving it closed all day can overheat and weaken them.
  3. Keep a thin layer of water in the bed at night; it holds warmth. Drain and replace cold water in the morning.
  4. Brush or shake off dew from the leaves in the morning.
  5. If seedlings turn yellow, do not pour in fertiliser on guesswork. Call 16123 or show the bed to your Sub-Assistant Agriculture Officer first.

Transplanting

Do not move seedlings to the main field during a cold spell. Wait for a few warmer days. Seedlings that are too young or too old both suffer more from cold, so ask your local agriculture office about the right age for your variety.

Where to get help

The Krishi Call Centre (16123) and your Upazila Agriculture Office give free advice. The Seed sourcing section of this site lists where to buy certified seed in Bangladesh.

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]]> Potato late blight: spot it early, act before it spreads https://krishokerthikana.com/en/blog/potato-late-blight/ https://krishokerthikana.com/en/blog/potato-late-blight/ Wed, 04 Nov 2026 05:55:00 GMT Krishoker Thikana Research & varieties Government services Cold, foggy, damp weather is exactly what late blight needs. It can wipe out a potato field in days. Warning signs, prevention and who to call. Late blight is the most feared disease of potato in Bangladesh. It comes with the cold, foggy, humid days of December and January, and in the right weather it can spread across a whole field, and the fields next to it, within a few days. Tomato and eggplant can be hit too.

Scientists at the Tuber Crop Research Centre of the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) advise acting early: protective sprays at about 7-day intervals once the risky weather sets in, rather than waiting until the disease is visible.

Warning signs

  • Pale green or dark, water-soaked patches on the leaves, often starting at the tips and edges.
  • The patches quickly turn brown-black and spread; on damp mornings a thin white growth can be seen on the underside of the leaf.
  • Black or brown streaks on the stems; plants collapse as if burnt.
  • A rotten smell from the field in bad cases. Tubers can get brown, sunken patches and rot in storage.

Prevention

  • Plant healthy, certified seed potato. Do not use tubers from a field that had blight.
  • Watch the weather. When fog and drizzle last for two or three days, that is blight weather.
  • Start protective fungicide sprays before symptoms appear, as advised by your agriculture officer. Use only recommended products at the dose on the label, wear a mask and gloves, and keep children and animals away.
  • Avoid irrigating in the evening and avoid too much nitrogen fertiliser; both keep the crop leafy and wet.

If you see it in your field

  1. Act the same day. Pull out and bury or burn badly affected plants; do not leave them in the field or throw them in a canal.
  2. Call the Krishi Call Centre at 16123 or your Sub-Assistant Agriculture Officer and ask which curative fungicide to use and how often.
  3. Tell your neighbours. Blight spores travel with the wind, so treating one field alone is not enough.
  4. At harvest, cut and remove the haulm (leaves and stems) a week or so before digging, and do not store damaged or rotten tubers with healthy ones.

Spray safely

Fungicides are chemicals. Buy them only from licensed dealers, check the expiry date, never mix products on guesswork and never spray against the wind. Wash hands and face after spraying, and keep to the waiting period on the label before harvest.

The Research & varieties section of this site links to BARI and other research institutes; the Government services section lists the Department of Agricultural Extension.

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]]> Hilsa ban ends: the jatka rules every fisher needs next https://krishokerthikana.com/en/blog/hilsa-ban-jatka-rules/ https://krishokerthikana.com/en/blog/hilsa-ban-jatka-rules/ Thu, 29 Oct 2026 06:00:00 GMT Krishoker Thikana Fish The 22-day mother hilsa ban ends on 29 October, and the eight-month jatka ban starts on 1 November. What is allowed, what is not, and how to get your rice support. The 22-day ban on catching hilsa, which began on 8 October 2026 to protect mother hilsa during their main breeding season, ends on 29 October. It covered the major rivers of 38 districts and banned catching, transporting, storing, buying, selling and exchanging hilsa.

Many fishers will be back on the water in the next few days. But a second, longer rule starts almost at once, and it is the one that decides how much hilsa there will be next year.

The next rule: no jatka from 1 November to 30 June

Jatka are young hilsa. According to the Department of Fisheries, from 1 November to 30 June it is banned to catch, carry, store, buy, sell or exchange jatka, meaning hilsa shorter than 25 cm.

  • Keep a measuring tape on the boat. If a hilsa is under 25 cm, it goes back in the water.
  • Do not use current jal (fine monofilament net). It is illegal and it catches jatka in huge numbers.
  • Traders and transporters are covered too: carrying or selling jatka is an offence, not only catching it.
  • Some rivers also have sanctuary periods in spring. Ask your Upazila Fisheries Office for the dates in your area.

Why it is worth it

Every mother hilsa that spawns this month produces the jatka that grow into next season's catch. Catching jatka now is like eating next year's seed rice: the money is small today and the loss is large tomorrow.

Rice support during bans

During this ban, each of 6,46,290 registered fisher families in 38 districts received 25 kg of rice. Fishers had asked for 100 kg, and the Barishal divisional fisheries director acknowledged that the allocation was not enough, citing budget limits.

  • Support goes only to registered fishers. If you do not have a fisher ID card, apply at your Upazila Fisheries Office before the next ban.
  • If you are registered but did not receive rice, report it to the Upazila Fisheries Office or the Upazila Nirbahi Officer, and keep the date and names.

Penalties

Breaking the jatka ban is a criminal offence. As reported when the eight-month ban was introduced, the penalty can be up to two years' rigorous imprisonment and a fine of up to Tk 5,000. Mobile courts regularly seize nets, boats and fish during ban periods.

Where to get help

Your Upazila Fisheries Office is the first stop for ban dates, fisher ID cards and rice support. The Fish page of this site lists the Department of Fisheries, the Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute and international support.

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]]> Lumpy skin disease in cattle: signs, prevention and who to call https://krishokerthikana.com/en/blog/lumpy-skin-disease-cattle/ https://krishokerthikana.com/en/blog/lumpy-skin-disease-cattle/ Thu, 29 Oct 2026 05:59:00 GMT Krishoker Thikana Livestock Dairy Lumpy skin disease reached Bangladesh in 2020 and still costs farmers milk, money and animals. How it spreads, the early signs, and the simple steps that protect a herd. Lumpy skin disease (LSD) is a viral disease of cattle. It was first reported in Bangladesh in Chattogram in March 2020 and has since spread across the country. It rarely kills large numbers of animals, but it cuts milk yield, damages hides and leaves cattle weak for weeks, which is a heavy loss for small farmers.

How it spreads

The virus is carried mainly by blood-feeding insects such as flies and mosquitoes. That is why cases often rise in the warm, wet months, and why a single sick animal can infect a whole shed.

Signs to watch for

  • Fever and loss of appetite.
  • Firm, round lumps on the skin, often on the neck, legs and udder. Within two or three days they can turn into open sores that leak a thick fluid.
  • A sudden drop in milk.
  • Swelling of the legs, and weakness.

What to do if you see it

  • Separate the sick animal from the rest of the herd at once, and keep it under a mosquito net.
  • Call your Upazila Livestock Office or a registered vet. In one outbreak, cows treated by the livestock department improved, while those treated by village quacks got worse.
  • Do not sell or move sick animals; it spreads the disease to other villages.
  • Keep sores clean and follow the vet's instructions on medicine. Do not guess doses.

How to prevent it

  • Vaccination: the Department of Livestock Services has run LSD vaccination drives, including one with FAO support that covered about 70,000 cows in major milk districts. Ask your Upazila Livestock Office whether vaccine is available in your area.
  • Keep the shed clean and dry, clear dung daily and drain standing water where mosquitoes breed.
  • Use mosquito nets or smoke at night during the insect season.
  • Keep newly bought cattle apart for at least two weeks, and do not buy animals with lumps or sores.

LSD is a disease of cattle; it does not spread to people. Milk should still be boiled before drinking, as always.

For more help, see the Livestock and Dairy pages of this site, which list the Department of Livestock Services, the Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute and international animal-health bodies.

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]]> Bird flu: a simple biosecurity checklist for small poultry farms https://krishokerthikana.com/en/blog/bird-flu-biosecurity/ https://krishokerthikana.com/en/blog/bird-flu-biosecurity/ Thu, 29 Oct 2026 05:58:00 GMT Krishoker Thikana Poultry Bird flu came back to a Bangladeshi farm in 2025 after seven years. Most of the protection costs little: a foot dip, a gate and a rule about visitors. Here is the checklist. In March 2025, Bangladesh reported its first highly pathogenic bird flu outbreak on a farm since 2018. On a farm in Jessore district, 1,900 of 3,978 birds died, and the rest of the flock was culled. For a small farmer, one outbreak can wipe out a year's income in a week.

There is no cure for bird flu in chickens. Protection means keeping the virus out. Most of these steps cost little or nothing.

The biosecurity checklist

  • One gate, kept shut. Only people who work on the farm go inside the sheds.
  • A foot dip with disinfectant at the shed door, changed every few days.
  • Separate boots and clothes for the shed, never worn to the market or another farm.
  • Wash hands before and after handling birds.
  • Keep wild birds, ducks and crows away from feed and water; cover feed stores.
  • Do not keep ducks and chickens together, and keep backyard birds away from the farm.
  • Buy chicks only from registered hatcheries, and keep new birds apart for two weeks.
  • Clean and disinfect the shed between batches, and dispose of litter away from the farm.

Warning signs

  • Many birds dying suddenly, often within a day or two.
  • A sharp drop in eggs, or soft-shelled eggs.
  • Swollen head, blue or purple comb and wattles.
  • Birds sitting still, not eating or drinking.

If birds start dying

  • Report it to your Upazila Livestock Office at once. Early reporting protects your neighbours and your next batch.
  • Do not sell, eat or give away sick or dead birds, and do not throw them in rivers or fields.
  • Do not handle dead birds with bare hands. Bird flu rarely infects people, but it can.
  • Stop all movement of birds, eggs, trays and people off the farm until an officer has visited.

The Poultry page of this site lists the Department of Livestock Services, the Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute and WOAH, which publishes international bird flu reports.

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]]> Mustard season is coming: how beekeepers and farmers both gain https://krishokerthikana.com/en/blog/mustard-season-beekeeping/ https://krishokerthikana.com/en/blog/mustard-season-beekeeping/ Thu, 29 Oct 2026 05:57:00 GMT Krishoker Thikana Bees Mustard flowers from late autumn into January, and it is the biggest honey season of the year. How bee boxes raise the farmer's yield, and how to agree spraying so the bees survive. As Aman rice is harvested, mustard goes into the fields, and from late autumn into January much of the country turns yellow. For beekeepers it is the most important season of the year: most of Bangladesh's honey comes from mustard.

What one district earned

In January 2025, The Financial Express reported from Naogaon, where mustard covered 60,100 hectares. 82 beekeepers had placed 8,300 bee boxes in the fields and expected about 270 tonnes of honey. At the agriculture department's price of Tk 400 a kg, that is worth about Tk 10.8 crore.

Why farmers should welcome the boxes

Bees moving between flowers pollinate the mustard, and more pods set seed. A local agriculture officer in Naogaon said fields with bees yield 30 to 35 percent more; earlier national estimates were lower, at around 15 percent. Either way, the bees work for the farmer for free.

The one thing that goes wrong: spraying

Insecticide sprayed while the mustard is in flower kills bees in the field and the hive. A short conversation before the season prevents most of the damage.

  • Farmers: tell the beekeeper before you spray, and spray in the late afternoon or evening, when bees have gone home.
  • Ask the agriculture office which products are least harmful to bees, and spray only when pests actually need it.
  • Beekeepers: agree the box sites and the spraying plan with the landowner before you unload, and leave a phone number on the boxes.
  • Keep boxes away from paths and homes, and give children a wide berth.

Starting out

Beekeeping needs little land, but it needs training. Ask the Upazila Agriculture Office or BSCIC about courses before buying boxes, and start with a few colonies. Store honey in clean, dry, covered containers; good-quality honey sells for more.

The Bees page of this site lists training bodies, beekeepers' associations and international beekeeping organisations.

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]]> Why dairy farmers earn so little per litre, and what helps https://krishokerthikana.com/en/blog/dairy-milk-price-squeeze/ https://krishokerthikana.com/en/blog/dairy-milk-price-squeeze/ Thu, 29 Oct 2026 05:56:00 GMT Krishoker Thikana Dairy Shop milk got much dearer, but the price paid at the farm barely moved while feed doubled. Where the money goes, and five practical ways dairy farmers can protect their margin. Bangladesh produces more milk every year but still not enough to meet demand. You might expect that to mean good prices for dairy farmers. It does not.

The squeeze in numbers

The Business Standard spoke to farmers in Sirajganj and Pabna, the heart of the dairy belt, in early 2024:

  • Processors such as Milk Vita, BRAC, PRAN and Akij were paying farmers about Tk 45 to 52 a litre, depending on fat content.
  • That farm-gate price had risen by only about Tk 10 in five years, and not at all in the last two.
  • Over the same two years, packaged milk in shops rose from about Tk 70 to Tk 90-95 a litre.
  • Farmers said cattle feed had doubled in price in five years; a 43 kg bag of husk alone went from Tk 1,650 to over Tk 2,300.

In short: the farmer carries the rising cost of feed, while the higher shop price is captured further along the chain.

Five things that help

  • Grow green fodder. The Director General of Livestock Services told farmers that those who feed more grass are making a profit. A small plot of Napier or other fodder grass cuts the feed bill sharply.
  • Know your fat content. Processors pay by fat, so ask for your test result each time and compare buyers. Clean milking and good feed raise fat and the price per litre.
  • Sell together. A cooperative or village collection centre gives you a steady buyer and a stronger voice on price.
  • Cool milk quickly and keep it clean; rejected milk is pure loss.
  • Keep a simple daily record of milk, feed and sales, so you know your real cost per litre before you agree a price.

What is changing

The government's Livestock and Dairy Development Project aims to build milk collection centres and processing zones so that farmers depend less on a few large buyers. Ask your Upazila Livestock Office whether a centre is planned near you.

Note: the prices above are from early 2024; check current rates with your buyer or collection centre. The Dairy page of this site lists Milk Vita, the Department of Livestock Services and dairy research bodies.

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]]> Why Bangladesh's farmers get half the price: the farm-to-retail gap explained https://krishokerthikana.com/en/blog/farm-gate-price-gap/ https://krishokerthikana.com/en/blog/farm-gate-price-gap/ Mon, 26 Oct 2026 06:00:00 GMT Krishoker Thikana Government services Agritech partners A 2026 CPD study found green chilli costs 116% more in shops than at the farm gate, and rice farmers keep only half the retail price. Here is why, and what farmers can do. In July 2026 the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) published a study of ten essential foods, based on a survey of 820 traders across ten markets in the Dhaka division. Its central finding is simple: the longer the chain between farm and shop, the bigger the gap between what the farmer earns and what the consumer pays.

How big is the gap?

  • Green chilli: the retail price is about 116% above the farm-gate price.
  • Onion: 87%.
  • Pulses: 78%.
  • Brinjal: 72%.
  • Medium-quality rice: farmers receive only 50.8% of the retail price.

Products with short supply chains, such as eggs, broiler chicken, beef and rui fish, rose much less, by between 10% and 25%.

What it looks like in the field

After Eid-ul-Azha in 2026, bottle gourds in Rajshahi fell from Tk 35–40 to about Tk 5 each, while the same gourds sold for Tk 65–70 in a Narsingdi market. In Rangpur, potatoes cost Tk 13–15 a kilo to grow but sold for Tk 7–9, and at times Tk 3–4.

Why it happens

The study points to layers of intermediaries (farias, beparis and aratdars), heavy dependence on urban wholesalers, weak market monitoring and too little cold storage. It also warns against blaming middlemen alone: supply shortages, production costs and hoarding all play a part.

What a farmer can do today

  • Check the daily retail prices published by TCB and the Department of Agricultural Marketing before you sell, so you know the size of the gap.
  • Call the Krishi Call Centre on 16123 for advice on when to sell and how to store.
  • Sell together: a truck-sized lot from several farmers gets a better bid than one small lot.
  • Plan harvests with neighbours so that everyone is not selling into the same glut.

The CPD recommends fewer layers between farmers and consumers, more competition in wholesale markets, better price transparency and investment in cold storage. A shared, public record of farm-gate prices, which this directory aims to build, is one step towards that transparency.

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]]> Importing seed into Bangladesh: the import permit process step by step https://krishokerthikana.com/en/blog/seed-import-permit-guide/ https://krishokerthikana.com/en/blog/seed-import-permit-guide/ Mon, 26 Oct 2026 05:59:00 GMT Krishoker Thikana Seed sourcing — Bangladesh Seed sourcing — abroad Bangladesh imports up to 95% of its hybrid maize seed. Who approves a seed import, how the Plant Quarantine Wing permit works, and how to protect farmers from fake seed. Bangladesh relies heavily on imported seed. According to a seed-security explainer in The Business Standard, about 90–95% of hybrid maize seed, 80–90% of oilseed seed, around 80% of pulse seed, 75–80% of jute seed and around 60% of vegetable seed is imported. Most rice seed is produced at home.

Where the seed comes from

The same report names India, Thailand and the United States as the main sources of imported maize seed, and India as the main source of imported jute seed. The seed associations of China, Thailand, India and Indonesia listed in this directory are good starting points for finding suppliers.

Who approves an import

  • Seed Wing, Ministry of Agriculture: its approval must accompany your permit application.
  • Plant Quarantine Wing (PQW), Department of Agricultural Extension: issues the import permit and inspects the consignment.
  • Seed Certification Agency: tests and certifies seed quality.

The permit process

  1. Get Seed Wing approval for the variety and quantity.
  2. Apply to the PQW for an import permit before you open the letter of credit, giving the product type, quantity, country of origin, intended use and any treatment.
  3. The permit is reportedly issued within about a week.
  4. Import only through a designated point of entry.
  5. The permit is valid for 4 months, and can be extended by up to 2 months on request.
  6. Expect inspection on arrival, and possibly post-entry quarantine, before release.

Rules change, so confirm every step with the Plant Quarantine Wing before you place an order. The legal basis is the Plant Quarantine Act 2011 and the Plant Quarantine Rules 2018.

Protecting farmers from bad seed

Fake or poor seed is one of the most common farmer complaints. Buy from registered dealers, keep the packet and the receipt, and report suspect seed to the Seed Certification Agency or your Upazila agriculture office.

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]]> Dadon: how advance credit traps farmers, and the alternatives https://krishokerthikana.com/en/blog/dadon-credit-trap/ https://krishokerthikana.com/en/blog/dadon-credit-trap/ Mon, 26 Oct 2026 05:58:00 GMT Krishoker Thikana Credit & finance Agritech partners Dadon advances tie a farmer's harvest to one buyer at a fixed, low price. How the trap works, the alternatives worth asking about, and four questions to ask before you sign. Many farmers in Bangladesh cannot get a bank loan when they need seed and fertiliser. Instead they take an advance, known as dadon, from a trader or middleman. The catch comes at harvest.

How the trap works

In return for the advance, the farmer agrees to sell the harvest to the same lender at a price fixed in advance, usually below the market rate. SM Nazer Hossain of the Consumers Association of Bangladesh describes dadon as a primary reason for price disparities, because the farmer cannot shop around for a better buyer.

Jute farmers in Brahmanbaria described a similar pattern in 2026: without a guaranteed price before harvest, many sell freshly harvested jute to middlemen at prices they call unfair, and the middlemen store it and sell later at higher prices.

Alternatives worth asking about

  • Bangladesh Krishi Bank: state agricultural loans, often cheaper than an advance tied to your harvest.
  • Agritech financing: iFarmer reports facilitating more than BDT 11.5 billion in financing for farmers across 42 districts, and WeGro connects individual and institutional financiers with smallholders.
  • Cooperatives and farmer groups: a group can borrow, buy inputs and sell together, which improves bargaining power.
  • Government programmes: ask your Upazila agriculture office about current subsidy and loan schemes.

Before you sign anything

  • Ask what price you will be paid and how it is set.
  • Ask whether you are free to sell elsewhere.
  • Compare the cost with a bank or agritech loan over the same period.
  • Keep a written record of the agreement.

This article is general information, not financial advice. Terms change, so check directly with any lender before you borrow.

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